“How are you two doing?” Jen eased to a seat on the sofa and settled Joshua on her knees facing forward.
“Your brother’s barely taken his eyes off that computer all afternoon,” their father said.
Jen’s brows lifted, and her gaze darted to Jack. “Is that right?”
Jack just rolled his eyes.
His dad harrumphed, folded the paper, and set it aside. Then he smiled and lifted his arms. “Come to Pop-Pop, little Joshie.”
Jack and Jen locked gazes and smiled. Their dad was returning.
Jon wiggled his fingers. “Bring me my boy, Jen.”
She stood and eased the baby into her father’s arms. She and Jack grinned like idiots while they watched Jon talk nonsense to Joshua, who basked in his grandfather’s attention, cooing and grinning.
Jen pushed to her feet and kissed her dad’s cheek. “You look great today, Dad. I’m going to order dinner. Any special requests?”
He tilted his head back to look at Jen. “Chevy’s. I’m craving their paper-thin tortilla chips.”
“You got it.” On her way out, she tugged on Jack’s sleeve, and he followed her into the kitchen. “Wow. Every day, he gets better and better.”
“He’s definitely improving,” Jack said. “I was skeptical, but the meds are really making a difference.”
Jen opened a food delivery app on her phone. “What can I get for you?”
“Nothing.” He slid his phone from his back pocket and glanced at the face. “I’m still hoping to get a yes on dinner plans of my own.”
“The waitress again?” she asked while tapping in an order.
“Bartender, and yes.” With no answer from the text he’d sent to Miranda earlier, he pocketed the phone.
Jen scrutinized him.
He held up his hands. “Don’t start.”
Jen finished her order and set her phone on the counter. “You’re not seriously going to try to make a long-distance thing work, are you?” She stepped out of her heels and slid off her blazer. “This is the prime of your life, Jack, and you’re a damn fine catch. Just don’t settle. Especially not because she’s good in bed. Frequency of sex is inversely proportional to the complexity of life. And life only gets more complicated with time.”
“I haven’t met anyone like this in a long time.” He felt a little disappointed Jen wasn’t more interested. “I really like her.”
His cell chimed with a text. He pulled the phone from his pocket and found a response from Miranda. If you’re still free, let’s meet at Al’s BBQ.
A smile split his face, and he punched the air with his fist. “Yes.”
“Just make sure you think it through,” Jen said before tapping his temple. “With this head.”
Jen wandered into the living room with the boys, and Jack returned Miranda’s text with an alternate idea. Are you open to something quieter so we can talk? Maybe Wallflower or Bourbon Street?
Her reply came immediately. Sure. Let’s do Bourbon Street. I can be there in twenty.
Jack had just dropped into the driver’s seat of his car when he received a call from Kelsey. It was almost seven, so this couldn’t be good news. “Hey, how are you feeling?”
“Stir-crazy. I’ve already got cabin fever.”
“I bet.”
“I’m really sorry you’ve been thrown into the fire,” Kelsey said. “Every one of my current projects are freaking migraines. How’s your dad?”
“Better. We’re cautiously optimistic.”